The Rise of Washington Football
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Seattle, Washington (PSF) - As we currently sit at about the halfway point of the college football season, few teams remain undefeated, those being Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, FSU, UNC, and last but certainly not least, Washington. All of these teams have had impressive showings so far this season, but perhaps none more impressive than the Washington Huskies and their seemingly superpowered offense. Having a great season last year, finishing at 11-2 and 8th in the nation, Washington has somehow managed to improve on their play from last year and have looked unstoppable thus far. This past weekend they beat the 9th ranked Oregon Ducks in a high-scoring shootout that became an instant classic, and has led many fans to feeling that they may be the best team in the nation despite their ranking of 5th in the latest AP poll (October 15th).
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The undeniable factor in the rise of Washington’s program has been star quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who’s stellar play has catapulted the Huskies from mediocrity to college football playoff contenders. Penix Jr. transferred from Indiana to Washington in 2022 where they had gone a lowly 4-8 the season before; Penix Jr. immediately made a major impact, leading the Huskies to a 11-2 record and a top 10 ranking his first season there. With the Huskies sitting at 6-0 so far this year, Penix Jr. has an impressive 17-2 record as a starter. Despite losing multiple extremely talented players over the past two seasons such as Trent McDuffie, Kyler Gordon, and Cade Otton, Penix Jr. has kept the Huskies a force to be reckoned with. So far this season Penix Jr. has thrown for 2,301 yards and 20 touchdowns to only 3 interceptions, these numbers would be incredible for any team, but knowing that it’s the driving force behind one of the most dominant teams in the country make it that much more important.
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As far as skill position players go, the Huskies have one of the finest groups in the nation, led by x-factor wide receiver Rome Odunze. Odunze has built up his reputation as one of the best receivers in the country over the past few years, and is on pace to have his best season yet this year, already having 736 yards and 6 touchdowns through 6 games. Receivers 2 and 3 on the depth chart are no slouches either, Ja’lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan have both put up notable contributions as well. Although Polk and McMillan aren’t putting up the same level of numbers as Odunze, they have combined numbers of 897 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns, which is still highly impressive. The amount of talent on this offense certainly helps out Penix Jr. as he is blessed with the opportunity to throw to some of the nations best receivers, who provide a threat for any pass to turn into a touchdown.
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Even though Washington has been a pass-heavy team over the past two seasons, their running back’s production has still been commendable. Starting running back Dillon Johnson has been extremely efficient, rushing for 340 yards and 5 touchdowns on a stellar 5.6 yards per carry (YPC) average. Second-string running back Will Nixon has shown that he is a skilled playmaker as well in his limited role as he currently is averaging 6.4 YPC on his 21 carries this season. While everyone knows that the Huskies much prefer to throw the ball all around the field, it is a major plus that they have the ability to run the ball effectively when needed to give the receivers a rest.
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The defense for the Huskies, although not a remarkably elite unit, is anchored by a duo of pass-rushers who create consistent pressure for the opposing quarterbacks on a weekly basis. Preseason All-American defensive end Bralen Trice has been a rock for the Washington defense over the past few seasons, and opposite of him you have an insanely talented but injury prone defensive end in Zion Tupuola-Fetui, who has put up some of the best numbers in the nation when able to stay on the field. While the defense is not the strongest unit for the Huskies, a lot of pressure is taken off of them as the offense continues to dominate any team in their way.
With the second half of the season starting up, hopes and expectations for Washington are higher than ever as they look to make a run at the college football playoffs. It will be easier said than done with numerous talented teams left on their schedule such as USC, Utah, and Oregon State. But with the elite play of the offense and the defensive ends resulting in the rise of Washington as a competitor, it will be interesting to see how they continue on after this season, with Michael Penix Jr., Rome Odunze, Bralen Trice and many others looking to go to the 2024 NFL draft; if we don’t see the Huskies bring in some top recruits and talented transfers, we could see the fall of Washington happen just as quickly as their rise.
